Hotspot 2.0 is a new standard defined by Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA), for enabling a Wi-Fi electronic device to access a public Wi-Fi network without any separate input from the user.
For example, when SK Telecom supports Hotspot 2.0 and a user of an electronic device subscribed to the SK Telecom, the electronic device receives necessary information for connection through a 802.11u based Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) and automatically access the SK Telecom Wi-Fi network without separate inputs from the user.
In general, in order for a user to access an AP in a Wi-Fi Hotspot network, the user needs to check a list of Access Points (APs) through a SCAN List, determine whether an AP is accessible, and configure connection settings for connection to the AP.
Hotspot 2.0 is based on the IEEE 802.11u standard, and provides more security in a WPA2-Enterprise scheme. Furthermore, Hotspot 2.0 provides various functionalities, such as data off-loading functionality for a future cellular network.
To access to a Hotspot 2.0 network, the electronic device performs network discovery on a current Wi-Fi network through ANQP queries/responses and is connected to a network that corresponds to a credential pre-stored in the electronic device. For example, a user who uses SKT SIM on a Wi-Fi network provided by an operator, such as SK Telecom accesses the Wi-Fi network by e.g., an EAP-SIM/AKA scheme.
On the other hand, in a venue in which a particular SIM is not served, not all the electronic devices pre-stores authentication information (or credentials) for the Wi-Fi network available in the venue. For example, if a user visits a hotel equipped with a system that supports Hotspot 2.0, an electronic device of the user may not have authentication information for accessing a Wi-Fi network of the hotel and is therefore unable to use the Wi-Fi network. To use the Wi-Fi network of the hotel, the user needs to obtain a Wi-Fi AP for authentication information for accessing the Wi-Fi network, e.g., identity (ID)/password information or a credential and then manually enter the authentication information to his/her electronic device.